The following table summarizes the percentage of people in each geographic area who have a specific mutation that causes lactase persistence. The mutation is not found in every population that has a high amount of lactase persistence.

Geographic region

Mutation 1 (%)

West Africa

0

East Africa

0

Middle East 1

10

Middle East 2

0

East Asia

0

Northern Europe

76

Southern Europe

20

What does it mean if all the people who are lactase persistent do not have the same mutation that scientists discovered?